Mark
From the Original 1599 Geneva Bible Notes

Mr 1:2

1:2 {1} As it is written in the {a} prophets, Behold, {b} I send my messenger {c} before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

(1) John goes before Christ as it was foretold by the prophets.
(a) This is the figure of speech called metonymy, by which is meant the books of the prophets Malachi and Isaiah.
(b) The prophet uses the present tense when he speaks of a thing to come, as he is as sure of it as if he had already seen it.
(c) A metaphor taken from the practice of kings, who used to have ushers go before them.

Mr 1:4

1:4 {2} John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the {d} baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

(2) The sum of John's doctrine, or rather Christ's, is remission of sins and amendment of life.
(d) The Jews used many kinds of washings: but here a peculiar kind of washing is spoken of, which contains within it true baptism, amendment of life, and forgiveness of sins.

Mr 1:7

1:7 {3} And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to {e} stoop down and unloose.

(3) John and all ministers cast their eyes upon Christ the Lord.
(e) The evangelist is expressing here the condition of the basest servant.

Mr 1:8

1:8 I indeed have {f} baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

(f) He shows that all the power of baptism proceeds from Christ, who baptizes the inner man.

Mr 1:9

1:9 {4} And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

(4) Christ consecrates our baptism in himself.

Mr 1:10

1:10 {5} And straightway {g} coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

(5) The vocation of Christ from heaven, as head of the Church.
(g) John, who went down into the water with Christ.

Mr 1:11

1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, [saying], Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am {h} well pleased.

(h) See Geneva "Mt 3:17"

Mr 1:12

1:12 {6} And immediately the Spirit {i} driveth him into the wilderness.

(6) Christ being tempted overcomes.
(i) "Driveth" here does not refer to something violent and forcible: but the divine power clothes Christ (who had lived until this time as a private man) with a new person, and prepares him for the battle that was at hand, and for his ministry.

Mr 1:14

1:14 {7} Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

(7) After John is taken Christ shows himself more fully.

Mr 1:16

1:16 {8} Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

(8) The calling of Simon and Andrew.

Mr 1:19

1:19 {9} And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

(9) The calling of James and John.

Mr 1:21

1:21 And they went into {k} Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

(k) From the city of Nazareth.

Mr 1:23

1:23 {10} And there was in their synagogue a man {l} with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

(10) He preaches that doctrine by which alone Satan is driven out of the world, which he also confirms by a miracle.
(l) Literally, "a man in an unclean spirit", that is to say, possessed with an evil spirit.

Mr 1:24

1:24 Saying, Let [us] alone; what have we to do with thee, thou {m} Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the {n} Holy One of God.

(m) He was born in Bethlehem, but through the error of the people he was called a Nazarene, because he was brought up in Nazareth.
(n) He alludes to the name that was written in the golden plate which the high Priest wore; Ex 28:36

Mr 1:26

1:26 And when the unclean spirit {o} had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

(o) See below, Mr 9:20 .

Mr 1:27

1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned {p} among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine [is] this? for with authority {q} commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

(p) As men who were amazed.
(q) By his own authority, or as a lord.

Mr 1:28

1:28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region {r} round about Galilee.

(r) Not only into Galilee, but also into the countries bordering upon it.

Mr 1:29

1:29 {11} And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

(11) By healing different diseases he shows that he has brought true life into the world.

Mr 1:34

1:34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and {f} suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

(s) For it is not proper for the demons to preach the gospel; Ac 16:18

Mr 1:38

1:38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the {t} next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.

(t) Villages which were like cities.

Mr 1:40

1:40 {12} And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

(12) By healing the leprous he shows that he came for this reason: to wipe out the sins of the world with his touch.

Mr 1:44

1:44 {13} And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the {u} priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

(13) He shows that he was not motivated by ambition, but only by the desire for his Father's glory, and by his love towards poor sinners.
(u) All the posterity of Aaron had the authority to judge a leper.

Mr 2:1

2:1 And {1} again he entered into Capernaum after [some] days; and it was noised that he was in the {a} house.

(1) By healing this man who was sick from paralysis Christ shows that men recover all their lost strength in him through faith alone.
(a) In the house where he used to remain: for he chose Capernaum to dwell in and left Nazareth.

Mr 2:2

2:2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive [them], no, not so much as {b} about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

(b) Neither the house nor the entry was able to hold them.

Mr 2:4

2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken [it] up, they {c} let down the {d} bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

(c) They broke up the upper part of the house which was made simply, and let down the man that was sick from paralysis into the lower part where Christ preached, for they could not come before Christ in any other way.
(d) The word signifies the poorest kind of bed, upon which men used to lay down at noon, and at such other times to refresh themselves; we call it a couch.

Mr 2:6

2:6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and {e} reasoning in their hearts,

(e) In their minds disputing upon the matter, arguing both sides.

Mr 2:12

2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all {f} amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

(f) Literally, "past themselves", or "out of their wit".

Mr 2:13

2:13 {2} And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.

(2) The gospel offends the proud and saves the humble.

Mr 2:14

2:14 And as he passed by, he saw {g} Levi the [son] of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

(g) Matthew's other name.

Mr 2:18

2:18 {3} And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

(3) The superstitious and hypocrites rashly put the sum of godliness in matters which do no matter, and are reprehended for three reasons. First, by not considering what every man's strength is able to bear, they rashly make all sorts of laws concerning such things, without any discretion.

Mr 2:23

2:23 {4} And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the {h} sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

(4) Secondly, because they do not distinguish between the laws which God made concerning things, and the laws that they made concerning the same things, which are not at all based on the law.
(h) Literally, "on the Sabbaths", that is, on the holy days.

Mr 2:26

2:26 How he went into the house of God in the days of {i} Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

(i) In 1Sa 21:1 he is called Ahimelech and his son is called Abiathar, but by conferring other places it is plain that both of them had two names; see 1Ch 24:6 2Sa 8:17 2Sa 15:29 1Ki 2:26 2Ki 25:18 .

Mr 2:28

2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the {k} sabbath.

(k) Has the sabbath day in his power, and may rule it as he desires.

Mr 3:1

3:1 And {1} he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a {a} withered hand.

(1) Thirdly, because they preferred the ceremonial law (which was but an addition to the moral law) before the moral law, whereas in reality they should have learned from this the true use of the ceremonial law.
(a) That is, unprofitable and dead.

Mr 3:4

3:4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save {b} life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

(b) He uses here the figure of speech called synecdoche, for this type of saying, "to save the life", is the same as saying "to save the man".

Mr 3:5

3:5 And when he had looked round about on them {c} with anger, being grieved for the {d} hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched [it] out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

(c) Men are angry when they have wrong done to them, but not without sin: but Christ is angry without sin, and he is not sorry for the injury that is done to him as much as he is for their wickedness; and therefore he had pity upon them, and because of that he is said to have been grieved.
(d) As though their heart had been closed up and had grown together, so that wholesome doctrine had no effect upon them.

Mr 3:6

3:6 {2} And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the {e} Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

(2) The more the truth is suppressed, the more it comes out.
(e) See Mt 22:16 .

Mr 3:8

3:8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and [from] {f} beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.

(f) Which Josephus called stony or rocky.

Mr 3:9

3:9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should {g} wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.

(g) Should always be ready for him.

Mr 3:10

3:10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had {h} plagues.

(h) Diseases with which God scourges men as it were with whips.

Mr 3:11

3:11 And {i} unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

(i) In those whom they had entered into: or by the figure of speech called metonymy, it refers to those who were vexed with the unclean spirits.

Mr 3:14

3:14 {3} And he {k} ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

(3) The twelve apostles are set apart to be trained for the office of the apostleship.
(k) Chose and appointed twelve to be familiar and well acquainted with him.

Mr 3:18

3:18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the [son] of Alphaeus, and {l} Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,

(l) Whom Luke also calls Judas: and to make a distinction the other Judas is called Iscariot.

Mr 3:19

3:19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an {m} house.

(m) The disciples whom Christ had taken as part of his company and to live with him come home to his house, to be with him from this point on.

Mr 3:21

3:21 {4} And when his {n} friends heard [of it], they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

(4) None are worse enemies of the gospel than they that should be enemies of it the least.
(n) Literally, "they that were of him", that is, his relatives: for they that were mad were brought to their relatives.

Mr 3:26

3:26 And if {o} Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.

(o) Satan's servants or followers.

Mr 3:28

3:28 {5} Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:

(5) Only those who know Christ and maliciously attack him are without hope of salvation.

Mr 3:30

3:30 {p} Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

(p) These are the words of the evangelist.

Mr 3:31

3:31 There came then his {q} brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

(q) By the name "brother" the Hebrews understand all that are of the same stock and blood.

Mr 3:34

3:34 {6} And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

(6) The spiritual family is larger than the biological family.

Mr 4:1

4:1 And he began again to teach by the {a} sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat {b} in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

(a) Seaside of Tiberias.
(b) In a ship which was launched into the sea.

Mr 4:3

4:3 {1} Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

(1) The same doctrine of the Gospel is sown everywhere, but it it does not have the same success indeed because of the fault of man, but yet by the just judgment of God.

Mr 4:10

4:10 And when he was {c} alone, they that were {d} about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.

(c) Literally, "solitary".
(d) They that followed him at his heels.

Mr 4:11

4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are {e} without, all [these] things are done in parables:

(e) That is to say, to strangers, and such ones as are not of us.

Mr 4:19

4:19 And the cares {f} of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

(f) Which pertain to this life.

Mr 4:21

4:21 {2} And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

(2) Although the light of the gospel is rejected by the world, yet it ought to be lit, if for no other reason than this, that the wickedness of the world might be revealed.

Mr 4:24

4:24 {3} And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

(3) The more liberally that we share such gifts as God has given us with our brethren, the more bountiful God will be toward us.

Mr 4:26

4:26 {4} And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

(4) The Lord sows and reaps in a manner unknown to men.

Mr 4:27

4:27 And {g} should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he {h} knoweth not how.

(g) That is, when he has finished sowing should wait both day and night not doubting that the seed should spring forth, which grows both by day and night.
(h) It is the duty of the ministers to work the ground with all diligence, and accredit the success to God: for the mighty work of the seed coming to blade and ear is mysterious, and is only known by the fruit that comes.

Mr 4:28

4:28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit {i} of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

(i) By a certain power which moves itself.

Mr 4:30

4:30 {5} And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

(5) God uses a method that men never do, beginning with the least and ending with the greatest.

Mr 4:33

4:33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, {k} as they were able to hear [it].

(k) According to the ability of the hearers.

Mr 4:34

4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he {l} expounded all things to his disciples.

(l) Literally, "loosed", as you would say, explained to them the hard riddles.

Mr 4:37

4:37 {6} And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

(6) They that sail with Christ, although he seems to sleep ever so soundly when they are in danger, yet they are preserved by him in due time, being awakened.

Mr 4:40

4:40 And he said unto them, {m} Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

(m) How does it come to pass that you have no faith?

Mr 5:1

5:1 And {1} they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the {a} Gadarenes.

(1) Many hold the virtue of Christ in admiration, and yet they will not lose even the least thing they have in order to redeem it.
(a) See Geneva "Mt 8:30"

Mr 5:2

5:2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man {b} with an unclean spirit,

(b) Literally, "in an unclean spirit"; now they are said to be in the spirit because the spirit holds them tightly locked up, and as it were bound.

Mr 5:7

5:7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, [thou] Son of the most high God? I {c} adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

(c) That is, assure me by an oath that you will not vex me.

Mr 5:10

5:10 And he {d} besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

(d) The demon that was the spokesperson of the many.

Mr 5:11

5:11 Now there was there nigh unto the {e} mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

(e) This whole country is for the most part very hilly, for the mountains of Galeed run through it.

Mr 5:13

5:13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the {f} sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

(f) Strabo in the sixteenth book says that in Gadaris there is a standing pool of very polluted water, which if beasts taste, they shed their hair, nails, or hooves and horns.

Mr 5:22

5:22 And, {g} behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,

(g) The whole company did not assemble without any structure, but in every synagogue there were certain men who governed the people.

Mr 5:25

5:25 {2} And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

(2) Jesus being touched with true faith, although it is but weak, heals us by his virtue.

Mr 5:36

5:36 {3} As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

(3) By faith fathers apprehended the promises of life even for their children.

Mr 5:40

5:40 {4} And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them {b} that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

(4) Such as mock and scorn Christ are unworthy to be witnesses of his goodness.
(b) The three disciples.

Mr 6:1

6:1 And {1} he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.

(1) The faithless world by no means diminishes the virtue of Christ, but knowingly and willingly it deprives itself of the efficacy of it being offered unto them.

Mr 6:2

6:2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing [him] were astonished, saying, From whence hath this [man] these things? and what wisdom [is] this which is given unto him, that even such {a} mighty works are wrought by his hands?

(a) The word signifies powers or virtues, by which are meant those wonderful works that Christ did which showed and set forth the virtue and power of his Godhead to all the world; Mt 7:22 .

Mr 6:3

6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his {b} sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

(b) This word is used after the manner of the Hebrews, who by brethren and sisters understand all relatives.

Mr 6:4

6:4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without {c} honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

(c) Not only has that honour taken from him which is rightly due to him, but also has evil spoken of him and his words are misrepresented.

Mr 6:5

6:5 And he {d} could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed [them].

(d) That is, he would not: for we need to have faith if we are going to receive the works of God.

Mr 6:7

6:7 {2} And he called [unto him] the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

(2) The disciples are prepared for that general apostleship by a special sending forth.

Mr 6:8

6:8 {3} And commanded them that they should take nothing for [their] journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in [their] purse:

(3) Faithful pastors should not have their minds set even on things that are necessary for this life, if they might be a hindrance unto them, even if it is just a small hindrance.

Mr 6:9

6:9 But [be] shod with {e} sandals; and not put on {f} two coats.

(e) The word properly signifies women's shoes.
(f) That is they should take no change of garments with them, so that they might be lighter for this journey and travel more quickly.

Mr 6:10

6:10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, {g} there abide till ye depart from that place.

(g) That is, do not change your inns in this short journey.

Mr 6:11

6:11 {4} And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

(4) The Lord severely avenges evil done to his servants.

Mr 6:13

6:13 And they cast out many devils, and {h} anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed [them].

(h) This oil was a token and a sign of his marvellous virtue: and seeing that the gift of healing has stopped a good while since, the ceremony of anointing which is yet carried on by some is of no purpose.

Mr 6:14

6:14 {5} And king Herod heard [of him]; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty {i} works do shew forth themselves in him.

(5) The gospel confirms the godly and vexes the wicked.
(i) The word signifies powers, by which is meant the power of working miracles.

Mr 6:15

6:15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of {k} the prophets.

(k) Of the old prophets.

Mr 6:16

6:16 But when Herod heard [thereof], he said, It is John, whom I {l} beheaded: he is risen from the dead.

(l) Commanded to be beheaded.

Mr 6:19

6:19 Therefore Herodias {m} had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:

(m) Sought all means to hurt him.

Mr 6:20

6:20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him {n} gladly.

(n) The tyrant was very well content to hear sentence pronounced against himself, but the seed fell upon stony places.

Mr 6:22

6:22 And when the daughter {o} of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give [it] thee.

(o) This same Herodias had the daughter by Philip, not by Herod Antipas, and Josephus called the daughter Salome.

Mr 6:24

6:24 And {p} she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.

(p) For women did not used to eat with men.

Mr 6:27

6:27 And immediately the king sent an {q} executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,

(q) The word signifies one that bears a short lance, and the king's guard was so called because they bore short lances.

Mr 6:31

6:31 {6} And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

(6) Such as follow Christ will lack nothing, not even in the wilderness, but they will have an abundance. And how wicked a thing it is not to look during this temporal life to the hands of the one who gives everlasting life!

Mr 6:37

6:37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, {r} Shall we go and buy {s} two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

(r) This is a kind of demand and wondering, with a subtle mockery, which men commonly use when they begin to get angry and refuse to do something.
(s) Which is about twenty crowns, which is five pounds.

Mr 6:39

6:39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by {t} companies upon the green grass.

(t) Literally, "by banquets", after the manner of the Hebrews who have no distributive words; see Mr 6:7 . Now he calls the rows of the sitters, "banquets".

Mr 6:40

6:40 And they sat down in {u} ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.

(u) The word signifies the beds in a garden, and it is literally, "by beds and beds", meaning by this that they sat down in rows one by another, as beds in a garden.

Mr 6:45

6:45 {7} And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.

(7) The faithful servants of God after their little labour are subject to a great tempest which Christ, being present in power although absent in body, moderates in such a way that he brings them to a happy haven, at such time and by such means as they did not expect: A graphic image of the Church tossed to and fro in this world.

Mr 6:46

6:46 And when he had sent {x} them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

(x) His disciples.

Mr 6:51

6:51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were {y} sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

(y) They were still so amazed when they knew that it was no spirit, that they were much more astonished than they ever were before, when they saw the wind and the sea obey his commandment.

Mr 6:52

6:52 For they {z} considered not [the miracle] of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

(z) Either they did not perceive, or had not well considered that miracle of the five loaves, to the point that the virtue of Christ was just as strange to them as if they had not been present at that miracle which was done just a little before.

Mr 6:54

6:54 {8} And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,

(8) Christ being rejected in his own country, and suddenly arriving to those who had not looked for him, is received to their great profit.

Mr 6:56

6:56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched {a} him were made whole.

(a) Or the hem of his garment.

Mr 7:1

7:1 Then {1} came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

(1) None resist the wisdom of God more than they that should be wisest, and they resist because of their zeal for their own traditions: for men please themselves in superstition more than in any other thing, that is to say, in a worship of God fondly devised by themselves.

Mr 7:2

7:2 And when they saw some of his disciples {a} eat bread with {b} defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

(a) Literally, "eat bread": an idiom which the Hebrews use, understanding bread to represent every type of food.
(b) For the Pharisees would not eat their food with unwashed hands, because they thought that their hands were defiled with the common handling of things; Mt 15:11,12 .

Mr 7:3

7:3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash [their] hands oft, eat not, {c} holding the tradition of the elders.

(c) Observing diligently.

Mr 7:4

7:4 And [when they come] from the {d} market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, [as] the washing of cups, and {e} pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

(d) That is to say, after coming from civil and worldly affairs they do not eat unless they first wash themselves.
(e) By these words are understood all types of vessels which we use daily.

Mr 7:5

7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why {f} walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

(f) Why live they not? This is a Hebrew idiom: for among them the "way" is taken for "lifestyle".

Mr 7:6

7:6 {2} He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me.

(2) Hypocrisy is always joined with superstition.

Mr 7:7

7:7 {3} Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.

(3) The more earnest the superstitious are, the more mad they are in promising themselves God's favour because of their deeds.

Mr 7:8

7:8 {4} For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

(4) The deeds of superstitious men not only do not fulfil the law of God (as they blasphemously persuaded themselves) but these deeds utterly take away God's law.

Mr 7:9

7:9 {5} And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

(5) True religion, which is completely contrary to superstition, consists in spiritual worship: and all enemies of true religion, although they seem to have taken deep root, will be plucked up.

Mr 7:10

7:10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him {g} die the death:

(g) Without hope of pardon, he will be put to death.

Mr 7:19

7:19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, {h} purging all meats?

(h) For that which goes into the draught purges all meats.

Mr 7:22

7:22 Thefts, {i} covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an {k} evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

(i) All types of craftiness by which men profit themselves at other men's losses.
(k) Corrupted malice.

Mr 7:24

7:24 {6} And from thence he arose, and went into the {l} borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know [it]: but he could not be hid.

(6) That which the proud reject when it is offered to them, that same thing the modest and humble sinners as it were voraciously consume.
(l) Into the uttermost coasts of Palestine, which were next to Tyre and Sidon.

Mr 7:26

7:26 The woman was a {m} Greek, a {n} Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

(m) By nationality, profane.
(n) A neighbour of or near to Damascus.

Mr 7:27

7:27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] unto the {o} dogs.

(o) "Dog" here signifies a little dog, and he uses this term that he may seem to speak more reproachfully.

Mr 7:28

7:28 And she answered and said unto him, {p} Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.

(p) As if she said, "It is as thou sayest Lord, for it is enough for the dogs if they can but gather up the crumbs that are under the table; therefore I crave the crumbs and not the children's bread."

Mr 7:31

7:31 {7} And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of {q} Decapolis.

(7) As the Father created us to this life in the beginning in his only son, so does he also in him alone renew us into everlasting life.
(q) It was a little country, and it was so called because it consisted of ten cities under the jurisdiction of four surrounding governments; Pliny, book 3, chap. 8.

Mr 8:3

8:3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will {a} faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

(a) Literally, "they will fall apart", or "be dissolved", for when men faint they tear their muscles.

Mr 8:11

8:11 {1} And the Pharisees {b} came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

(1) The stubborn enemies of the doctrine of the Gospel, giving no credit to the miracles already done, require new ones: but Christ, being angry with them, utterly forsakes them.
(b) A common saying which the Hebrews use, by which is meant that the Pharisees went from their houses to purposely engage him.

Mr 8:12

8:12 And he {c} sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, {d} There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

(c) These sighs came from the centre of his heart for the Lord was very much moved with the great unbelief of these men.
(d) Literally, "If a sign be given". It is an abbreviated kind of speech very common among the Hebrews; it is the same as when we say, "Let me be taken for a liar", or something similar. And when they speak out the whole, they say, "The Lord do such and such by me."

Mr 8:15

8:15 {2} And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and [of] the leaven of Herod.

(2) We must especially take heed of those who corrupt the word of God, no matter what their position is in the Church or in civil politics.

Mr 8:16

8:16 {3} And they reasoned among themselves, saying, [It is] because we have no bread.

(3) They that have their minds fixed on earthly things are utterly blinded to heavenly things, even though they are plainly set before them.

Mr 8:21

8:21 And he said unto them, {c} How is it that ye do not understand?

(c) How does it come to pass that you do not understand these things which are so plain and evident.

Mr 8:22

8:22 {4} And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.

(4) A true image of our regeneration, which Christ, separating us from the world, works and accomplishes in us gradually.

Mr 8:24

8:24 And he looked up, and said, I {f} see men as trees, walking.

(f) He perceived men moving but at the same time could not discern their bodies.

Mr 8:25

8:25 After that he put [his] hands again upon his eyes, and made him {g} look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

(g) He commanded him to try again, to determine whether or not he could indeed see well.

Mr 8:26

8:26 {5} And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell [it] to any in the town.

(5) Christ will not have his miracles to be separated from his doctrine.

Mr 8:27

8:27 {6} And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?

(6) Many praise Christ, who yet nonetheless rob him of his praise.

Mr 8:30

8:30 {7} And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

(7) Christ has appointed certain times for the preaching of the gospel, and therefore here defers it to a more appropriate time, lest sudden haste should rather hinder than further the mystery of his coming.

Mr 8:31

8:31 {8} And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and [of] the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

(8) All that Christ suffered for us he suffered not unwillingly, neither as being unaware, but foreknowing it and willingly.

Mr 8:32

8:32 {9} And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

(9) None are more mad than they that are wise without the word of God.

Mr 8:33

8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou {h} savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

(h) This is not godly, but worldly wisdom.

Mr 8:34

8:34 {10} And when he had called the people [unto him] with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

(10) The disciples of Christ must bear bravely whatever burden the Lord lays upon them, and subdue the desires of the flesh.

Mr 8:36

8:36 {11} For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

(11) They are the most foolish of all men who purchase the pleasures of this life with the loss of everlasting bliss.

Mr 9:1

9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the {a} kingdom of God come with power.

(a) When he will begin his kingdom through the preaching of the gospel: that is to say, after the resurrection.

Mr 9:2

9:2 {1} And after six days Jesus taketh [with him] Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

(1) The heavenly glory of Christ, which would within a short time be abased upon the cross, is confirmed by visible signs, by the presence and talk of Elias and Moses, and by the voice of the Father himself; all this occurred before three of his disciples, who are witnesses against whom there is no objection.

Mr 9:3

9:3 And his raiment {b} became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

(b) Did sparkle as it were.

Mr 9:6

9:6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore {c} afraid.

(c) They were beside themselves with fear.

Mr 9:9

9:9 {2} And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

(2) The Lord has appointed certain times for the publishing of the gospel.

Mr 9:10

9:10 And they {d} kept that saying with themselves, {e} questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

(d) Though just barely as it were.
(e) They did not question together concerning the general resurrection, which will be in the latter day, but they did not understand what he meant when he spoke of his own special resurrection.

Mr 9:11

9:11 {3} And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?

(3) The foolish opinion of the rabbis concerning Elias' coming is refuted here, which was that either Elias should rise again from the dead, or that his soul would enter into some other body.

Mr 9:14

9:14 {4} And when he came to [his] disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.

(4) Christ shows by a miracle, even to the unworthy, that he has come to restrain the wrath of Satan.

Mr 9:18

9:18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he {f} teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

(f) Vexes him inwardly, as the colic does.

Mr 9:20

9:20 And they brought him unto him: and when he {g} saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

(g) As soon as Jesus had looked upon the boy that was brought to him, the demon began to rage in this way.

Mr 9:23

9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, {h} all things [are] possible to him that believeth.

(h) Christ can and will do anything for those that believe in him.

Mr 9:26

9:26 {5} And [the spirit] cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

(5) The nearer that the virtue of Christ is the far greater Satan rages.

Mr 9:28

9:28 {6} And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

(6) We have need of faith, and therefore of prayer and fasting, in order to cast Satan out of that which belonged to him.

Mr 9:30

9:30 And they departed thence, and {i} passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know [it].

(i) He and his disciples together.

Mr 9:31

9:31 {7} For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

(7) Christ forewarns us with great diligence so that we should not be discouraged with sudden calamities; but man's slowness to understand is great.

Mr 9:33

9:33 {8} And he came to Capernaum: and being in the {k} house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

(8) Only humility exalts.
(k) Where he was accustomed to make his home.

Mr 9:37

9:37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not {l} me, but him that sent me.

(l) He not only receives me, but also him that sent me.

Mr 9:38

9:38 {9} And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

(9) God, who normally works through ordinary means, works also extraordinarily as often as it pleases him. But an extraordinary means is tested by the doctrine and the effects.

Mr 9:42

9:42 {10} And whosoever shall offend one of [these] little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

(10) God is such a severe avenger of offences that it is better to suffer anything else than to be an occasion of offence to any.

Mr 9:44

9:44 Where their {m} worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

(m) Their worm who will be cast into that flame.

Mr 9:49

9:49 {11} For every one shall be {n} salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

(11) We must be seasoned and sprinkled by God, so that we may be both acceptable sacrifices unto him, and also so that in our being knit together we may season one another.
(n) That is, will be consecrated to God, being seasoned with the incorruptible word.

Mr 10:1

10:1 And he {a} arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.

(a) That is to say, departed and went from there: for in the Hebrew language sitting and dwelling are the same thing, and so are rising and going forth.

Mr 10:5

10:5 {1} And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this {b} precept.

(1) God never allowed those divorces which the law tolerated.
(b) See Mt 19:3-12 . For Moses gave them no commandment to put away their wives, but rather made a good stipulation for the wives to protect them from the stubborn hardness of their husbands.

Mr 10:11

10:11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery {c} against her.

(c) Whom he puts away, for he is an adulterer by keeping company with another.

Mr 10:13

10:13 {2} And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and [his] disciples rebuked those that brought [them].

(2) God in his goodness is concerned not only for the parents, but the children as well: and therefore he blesses them.
(Ed.)

Mr 10:15

10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God {3} as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

(3) In our malice we must become as children if we will enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mr 10:17

10:17 {4} And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

(4) Two things are to be greatly avoided by those who earnestly seek eternal life: the first is an opinion of their merits or deservings, which is not only understood, but condemned by the due consideration of the law: and the second is the love of riches, which turns aside many from that race in which they ran with a good courage.

Mr 10:19

10:19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, {d} Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

(d) Neither by force nor deceit, nor any other means at all.

Mr 10:28

10:28 {5} Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

(5) To neglect everything in comparison with Christ is a sure way unto eternal life, so that we do not fall away along the path.

Mr 10:30

10:30 But he shall receive an {e} hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, {f} with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

(e) A hundred times as much, if we use the commodities of this life in a proper way, so that we use them in accordance with the will of God, and not just to gain the wealth itself, and to fulfil our greedy desire.
(f) Even in the midst of persecutions.

Mr 10:32

10:32 {6} And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,

(6) The disciples are again prepared not to be overcome by the foretelling unto them of his death, which was at hand, and in addition about his life, which would most certainly follow.

Mr 10:35

10:35 {7} And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, {g} we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.

(7) We must first strive before we triumph.
(g) We pray thee.

Mr 10:42

10:42 {8} But Jesus called them [to him], and saith unto them, Ye know that {h} they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.

(8) The magistrates according to God's appointment rule over their subjects: but the pastors are not called to rule, but to serve according to the example of the Son of God himself who went before them, for in doing such he also was a minister of his Father's will.
(h) They to whom it is decreed and appointed.

Mr 10:46

10:46 {9} And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

(9) Only Christ being called upon by faith heals our blindness.

Mr 11:1

11:1 And {1} when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,

(1) A graphic image of the spiritual kingdom of Christ on earth.

Mr 11:9

11:9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; {a} Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

(a) Let it be well to him that comes to us from God, or that is sent from God.

Mr 11:10

11:10 {b} Blessed [be] the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

(b) Happy and prosperous.

Mr 11:13

11:13 {2} And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not [yet].

(2) An example of that vengeance which hangs over the heads of hypocrites.

Mr 11:15

11:15 {3} And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

(3) Christ shows that he is indeed the true King and high Priest, and therefore the one who takes revenge upon those who do not show proper reverence for the holy function of the temple.

Mr 11:16

11:16 And would not suffer that any man should carry [any] {c} vessel through the temple.

(c) That is, any profane instrument (of which those men had many) that made the court of the temple a marketplace.

Mr 11:17

11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be {d} called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

(d) Will openly be considered and taken to be so.

Mr 11:20

11:20 {4} And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

(4) The power of faith is exceedingly great, and charity is always joined with it.

Mr 11:22

11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have {e} faith in God.

(e) The faith of God is that assured faith and trust which we have in him.

Mr 11:24

11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that {f} ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them].

(f) Literally, "that you receive it", speaking in the present tense, to show the certainty of the thing, and that it will indeed be performed.

Mr 11:25

11:25 And when {g} ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

(g) When you will appear before the altar.

Mr 11:27

11:27 {5} And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

(5) The gospel has been assaulted long since then by those in positions of human authority.

Mr 11:32

11:32 {6} But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all [men] counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.

(6) The reward of their evil conscience is to be afraid of those who should have been afraid of them.

Mr 12:1

12:1 And {1} he began to speak unto them by {a} parables. A [certain] man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about [it], and digged [a place for] the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

(1) The calling of God is unbounded, without exception, in regard to place, person, or time.
(a) This word "parable", which the evangelists use, not only signifies a comparing of things together, but also speeches and allegories with hidden meaning.

Mr 12:2

12:2 {b} And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.

(b) When the fruits of the ground used to be gathered.

Mr 12:12

12:12 And they {c} sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

(c) They were greedy and very desirous.

Mr 12:13

12:13 {2} And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in [his] words.

(2) The gospel links the authority of the magistrate with the service of God.

Mr 12:14

12:14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou {d} regardest not the person of men, but teachest the {e} way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

(d) You do not judge by the outward appearance, so that the truth is therefore not darkened by any means at all.
(e) The way by which we come to see God.

Mr 12:18

12:18 {3} Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

(3) The resurrection of the body is confirmed, opposed to the foolish ignorance and malice of the Sadducees.

Mr 12:28

12:28 {4} And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

(4) Sacrifices and outward worship never pleased God unless we first did the things which we owe to God and our neighbours.

Mr 12:35

12:35 {5} And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?

(5) Christ proves his Godhead even out of David himself, from whom he came according to the flesh.

Mr 12:36

12:36 For David himself said by {f} the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

(f) Literally, "in the Holy Spirit"; and there is a great power in this kind of speech, by which is meant that it was not so much David who was speaking, but instead the Holy Spirit, who in a way possessed David.

Mr 12:38

12:38 {6} And he said unto them in {g} his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in {h} long clothing, and [love] salutations in the marketplaces,

(6) The manners of ministers are not to be followed rashly as an example.
(g) While he taught them.
(h) The word is a "stole", which is a kind of woman's garment that goes down even to the heels, and is taken generally to refer to any pleasant looking garment, but in this place it seems to signify the fringed garment mentioned in De 22:12 .

Mr 12:41

12:41 {7} And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people {i} cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

(7) The doing of our duties which God allows is not considered worthy according to the outward value, but instead according to the inward affections of the heart.
(i) Money of any type of metal which the Romans used, who in the beginning stamped or made coins of brass, and after used it for currency.

Mr 13:1

13:1 And {1} as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings [are here]!

(1) The destruction of the temple, city, and whole nation is foretold, and the troubles of the Church: but yet there are many comforts added, and last of all, the end of the world is described.

Mr 13:9

13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a {a} testimony against them.

(a) When they hear you preach it will be a most evident witness against them, so that they will not be able to pretend that they do not know.

Mr 13:11

13:11 But when they shall lead [you], and deliver you up, {b} take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither {c} do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

(b) We are not forbidden to think beforehand, but we are willed to beware of that pensive carefulness by which men discourage themselves, which proceeds from distrust and lack of confidence and sure hope of God's assistance. See Geneva "Mt 6:27"
(c) By any kind of made-up and cunning type of story to tell.

Mr 13:13

13:13 And ye shall be hated of all [men] {d} for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

(d) For me.

Mr 13:14

13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, {e} standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

(e) When the heathen and profane people shall not only enter into the temple, and defile both it and the city, but also completely destroy it.

Mr 13:19

13:19 For [in] {f} those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

(f) This is an idiom which the Hebrews use and it has a great power in it, for it shows us that during that entire time one misery will follow another in such a way as if the time itself was very misery itself. So the prophet Amos says that the day of the Lord will be darkness; Am 5:20 .

Mr 13:32

13:32 {2} But of that day and [that] hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

(2) The latter day is not to be searched for curiously, which day the Father alone knows: but let us rather take heed that it does not come upon us unaware.

Mr 14:1

14:1 After {1} two days was [the feast of] the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put [him] to death.

(1) By the will of God, against the counsel of men, it came to pass that Christ should be put to death upon the solemn day of the passover, that in all respects the truth of his sacrifice might agree to the symbol of the passover.

Mr 14:4

14:4 {2} And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

(2) Rash judgments are made void before God.

Mr 14:5

14:5 For it might have been sold for more than {a} three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

(a) Which is about six English pounds.

Mr 14:7

14:7 {3} For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

(3) Christ allowed himself to be anointed once or twice for certain considerations: but his will is to be daily anointed in the poor.

Mr 14:8

14:8 {4} She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

(4) This woman, by the secret influence of the Spirit, anoints Christ, and thus sets before men's eyes his death and burial which were at hand.

Mr 14:10

14:10 {5} And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

(5) Covetousness disguised with a zeal of charity is an occasion to betray and crucify Christ.

Mr 14:12

14:12 {6} And the first day of unleavened bread, {b} when {c} they killed the {d} passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

(6) Christ being made subject to the law for us celebrates the passover according to the law: and in addition by a miracle shows that even though he will immediately suffer in the flesh, that he is yet God.
(b) That is, upon this day, and at the evening of the same day, which was the beginning of the fifteenth. See Geneva (G) "Mt 26:17".
(c) They used to sacrifice.
(d) That is, spoken thus, by the figure of speech called metonymy, which is commonly used when talking about sacraments, and by the passover is meant the paschal lamb.

Mr 14:15

14:15 And he will shew you a large {e} upper room furnished [and] prepared: there make ready for us.

(e) The Greek word signifies that part of the house that is highest from the ground, and because they used to eat supper in that part of the house they called it a supper room, no matter what they were using it for.

Mr 14:18

14:18 {7} And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.

(7) The types in the law, which are to be fulfilled before long, are cancelled: and in place of them are put symbols of the new covenant corresponding to them, which will continue to the world's end.

Mr 14:20

14:20 And he answered and said unto them, [It is] one of the twelve, that {f} dippeth with me in the dish.

(f) That regularly eats with me.

Mr 14:27

14:27 {8} And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

(8) Christ foretells how he will be forsaken by his own, but yet that he will never forsake them.

Mr 14:29

14:29 {9} But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet [will] not I.

(9) Here is set forth in an excellent person a most sorrowful example of man's rashness and weakness.

Mr 14:31

14:31 But he spake the {g} more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

(g) The doubling of words here sets out more plainly Peter's vehement affirmation.

Mr 14:32

14:32 (10) And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

(10) Christ suffering for us the most horrible terrors of the curse of God, in that flesh which he took upon him for our sakes, receives the cup from his Father's hands, which he being just, drinks right away for the unjust.

Mr 14:36

14:36 And he said, {h} Abba, Father, all things [are] possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

(h) This doubling of the word was used in those days when their languages were mixed together: for the word "Abba" is a Syrian word.

Mr 14:37

14:37 {11} And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

(11) A horrible example of the sluggishness of men, even among the disciples whom Christ had chosen.

Mr 14:43

14:43 {12} And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

(12) As men willingly robbed God their creator of his praise in forsaking and betraying him: so Christ, willingly going about to make satisfaction for this ruin, is forsaken by his own, and betrayed by one of his familiar acquaintances as a thief, so that the punishment might be in agreement with the sin, and that we who are ourselves traitors, forsakers and those committing sacrilege, might be delivered out of the devil's snare.

Mr 14:44

14:44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead [him] away {i} safely.

(i) So diligently that he cannot escape out of your hand.

Mr 14:47

14:47 And {k} one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

(k) That is, Peter.

Mr 14:50

14:50 And they {l} all forsook him, and fled.

(l) All his disciples.

Mr 14:51

14:51 {13} And there followed him a certain young man, having a {m} linen cloth cast about [his] naked [body]; and the young men laid hold on him:

(13) Under a pretence of godliness, all things are lawful to those who do violence against Christ.
(m) Which he cast about him, and ran forth after he heard the commotion in the night: by this we may understand with how great licentiousness these villains violently set upon him.

Mr 14:53

14:53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were {n} assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

(n) The highest council was assembled because Christ was accused as a blasphemer and a false prophet: for as to the other crime of treason, it was forged against him by the priest in order to force Pilate to condemn him.

Mr 14:55

14:55 {14} And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

(14) Christ, who was so innocent that he could not be oppressed, not even by false witnesses, is at length condemned for impiety before the high priest for confessing God to be his father. This is so that we, who denied God and were indeed wicked, might be acquitted before God.

Mr 14:61

14:61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the {o} Blessed?

(o) Of God, who is most worthy of all praise?

Mr 14:65

14:65 {15} And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

(15) Christ, suffering all types of reproach for our sakes, gets everlasting glory for those that believe in him.

Mr 14:66

14:66 {16} And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:

(16) A grievous example of the frailness of man together with a most comfortable example of the mercy of God, who gives the spirit of repentance and faith to his elect.

Mr 14:69

14:69 And {q} a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is [one] of them.

(q) If we carefully compare the evangelists together we will perceive that Peter was known by many through the maiden's report: furthermore, when the second denial is spoken of in Luke, there is a man servant mentioned and not a maid.

Mr 15:1

15:1 And {1} straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried [him] away, and {a} {a} delivered [him] to Pilate.

(1) Christ being bound before the judgment seat of an earthly Judge, is condemned before the open assembly as guilty unto the death of the cross, not for his own sins (as is shown by the judge's own words) but for all of ours, that we who are indeed guilty creatures, in being delivered from the guiltiness of our sins, might be acquitted before the judgment seat of God, even in the open assembly of the angels.
(a) It was not lawful for them to put any man to death, for all authority to punish by death was taken away from them, first by Herod the great, and afterward by the Romans, about forty years before the destruction of the temple, and therefore they deliver Jesus to Pilate.

Mr 15:6

15:6 Now at [that] feast he {b} released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

(b) Pilate used to deliver.

Mr 15:17

15:17 {2} And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his [head],

(2) Christ going about to take away the sins of men, who went about to usurp the throne of God himself, is condemned as one that sought diligently after the kingdom, and mocked with a false show of a kingdom, that we on the other hand, who will indeed be eternal kings, might receive the crowns of glory from God's own hand.

Mr 15:21

15:21 And they {3} compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

(3) The rage of the wicked has no measure; meanwhile, even the weakness of Christ, who was in pain under the heavy burden of the cross, manifestly shows that a lamb is led to be sacrificed.

Mr 15:22

15:22 {4} And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull.

(4) Christ is led out of the walls of the earthly Jerusalem into a foul place of dead men's carcasses, as a man most unclean, not because of himself, but because of our sins, which were laid upon him, with the result that we, being made clean by his blood, might be brought into the heavenly sanctuary.

Mr 15:24

15:24 {5} And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.

(5) Christ hangs naked upon the cross, and as the most wicked and base person that ever was, most vilely reproved. This was so that we, being clothed with his righteousness and blessed with his curses and sanctified by his only sacrifice, may be taken up into heaven.

Mr 15:33

15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was {6} darkness over the {c} whole land until the ninth hour.

(6) How angry God was against our sins, which he punished in his son who is our sure substitute, is made evident by this horrible darkness.
(c) By this word "land" he means Palestine: so that the strangeness of the wonder is all the more set forth in that at the feast of the passover, and in the full moon, when the sun shone over all the rest of the world, and at midday, this corner of the world in which so wicked an act was committed was covered over with great darkness.

Mr 15:34

15:34 And at the {7} ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

(7) Christ striving mightily with Satan, sin and death, all three armed with the horrible curse of God, grievously tormented in body hanging upon the cross, and in soul plunged into the depth of hell, yet he clears himself, crying with a mighty voice: and notwithstanding the wound which he received from death, in that he died, yet by smiting both things above and things beneath, by the renting of the veil of the temple, and by the testimony wrung out of those who murdered him, he shows evidently unto the rest of his enemies who are as yet obstinate, and mock at him, that he will be known without delay to be conqueror and Lord of all.

Mr 15:40

15:40 {8} There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

(8) Christ, to the great shame of the men who forsook the Lord, chose women for his witnesses, who beheld this entire event.

Mr 15:43

15:43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an {d} honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in {e} boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

(d) A man of great authority, of the council of the sanhedrin, or else a man who was taken by Pilate for his own council.
(e) If we consider what danger Joseph put himself into we shall perceive how bold he was.

Mr 16:4

16:4 And when they {a} looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

(a) When they cast their eyes toward the sepulchre.

Mr 16:5

16:5 And entering into the {b} sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

(b) Into the cave out of which the sepulchre was cut.

Mr 16:9

16:9 {1} Now when [Jesus] was risen early the first [day] of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

(1) Christ himself appears to Mary Magdalene to reprove the disciple's incredulity.

Mr 16:12

16:12 {2} After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

(2) Christ appears to two other disciples and at length to the eleven.

Mr 16:14

16:14 {c} Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

(c) The evangelist did not consider the chronological sequence of events, but rather what took place, which he divided into three parts: The first shows how he appeared to the women, the second to his disciples, the third to his apostles, and therefore he says "finally".

Mr 16:15

16:15 {3} And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to {d} every creature.

(3) The apostles are appointed, and their office is limited to them, which is to preach that which they heard from him, and to minister the sacraments which Christ has instituted, having in addition to this the power to do miracles.
(d) Not to the Jews only, nor in Judea only, but to all men and everywhere: and so must all the apostles do.

Mr 16:17

16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with {e} new tongues;

(e) Strange tongues, ones which they did not know before.

Mr 16:19

16:19 {4} So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

(4) Christ, having accomplished his office on earth, ascends into heaven, from where (the doctrine of his apostles being confirmed with signs) he will govern his Church, until the world's end.

Mr 16:20

16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with [them], and confirming {f} the word with signs following. Amen.

(f) That is, the doctrine: therefore doctrine must go before and signs must follow after.

The Reformed Reader Home Page  Copyright 1999, The Reformed Reader, All Rights Reserved